Democractic organizations increase the engagement of their employees. In a fluid network that operates out of freedom and not fear, satisfaction goes up, and so does profit.
Traci Fenton, founder of Worldblu and expert in the field of democractic organizations recently spoke at the Berkman Center about her work.
She lists 10 convincing reasons to be a democratic organization.
Most people want to talk about business today. Ralph Freelink, the founder and director of the Centre for Holistic Inquiry wants to talk about business tomorrow. I met him for an afternoon conversation – something I’d like to do with equally interesting people more often.
An economist, engineer and holistic scientist, Ralph admitted that it will take years before his holistic spiritual perspective that is based on increasing dialogue becomes widespread.
Ralph’s notion of Holism, especially with regards to the internet, complements contemporary applications of collective intelligence, and the increasing significance of building a global consciousness through conversations within organizations and the marketplace.
“the internet is the physical and externalized manifestation of the realm of consciousness that we can’t see, but can experience.”
He speaks eloquently about the need to recognize the reciprocity between the whole and its parts, and to respect all the agents in an organizational ecology. His wisdom is inspired by process thinking, which emphasizes becoming, rather than static experience or being. It makes me wonder:
How can we bring forth something that wants to happen?
Somewhere in the West of Amsterdam, there’s an advanced institute for applied creativity that will be known for the talent it produced in 2006.
Directed by Wim Michels, the Hallo Academie is an intensive one-year collaborative creative program for brilliant misfits. Last year I directed a short course on the rebranding of the U.S.A., and I’m honored that Wim continues to invite me to Hallo events.
Exposed 06 was an opportunity to be inspired and challenged by this year’s stellar graduates. I met good people who are unwilling to compromise their creative visions, and I saw communication and product ideas ready for application.
Cry Love is Nanine Linning’s new multi-disciplinary performance now at the Holland Festival. In it, she continues her departure from form and aesthetics, and brings us again into our common animalistic inner world. It was both thrilling and enervating.
‘In my work I want to touch a deeper layer, a layer that’s about emotions and human instincts. I want to explore the fine line between man and animal.’
It was as if we were entering a slaughterhouse. We walked directly under the performers, who were dangling by their ankles, convulsing, perhaps in their last breaths. We dispersed to grandstands on either ends of the long hall, the lights suddenly blackened, and the piece began between us.
I saw Cry Love with Ilse Vandervelden, a very good friend, former dancer and dance critic for the premier Dutch newspaper, NRC. She’s put Cry Love in perspective, essentially concluding that Linning has established an entirely new dance grammar.
Alex and I explored an abandoned industrial complex where we now have some friends living legally. In our free time, we’re working on an interdisciplinary project called “Mixed Use” to awaken the spirit of the space where millions of human hours were expended. (Continued)
In the world of new media art there are various music user-interfaces that allow you to play with light to affect sound. What about using the changing natural light of the sun instead?
That’s the principle behind the North Indian Ragas played by Sitar Master Gaurav Mazumdar and our host and Tabla player, Heiko Dijker.
Mazumdar, one of the most prominent pupils of Ravi Shankar, explained that ragas are meant for different times of the day, based on the warmth and colours of the sun. There are strict rules that define the character of a raga. And ragas must only be played in the section of the day that they are meant to complement and evoke. So an early morning Raga should never be played in late afternoon.
Because of lingering evening light in Amsterdam at this time of year, Mazumdar and Dijker were able to play a wider range of Ragas than would have been possible in India.
Many performances are also held indoors in artificial light. “Electric light has made time stretchable,” Mazumdar said. “When you enter an auditorium, you take the light with you.”
Playlist:
1. Raga Patdeep (of 7 beats)
2. Raga Bhoopali (of 16 beats)
3. Raga Kirwani (of 16 beats)